Rotary steam-engine



(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheen 1. F. MEYER, J. S. KIEHL & A. GRANT.

ROTARY STE-AM ENGINE.

Patented Oct. 13, 1891.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.. F. MEYER, J. S. KIBHL 8v A. GRANT.

l Patented Oct. 13,1891.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

(No Model.)

WEL

(No Model.)

. ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

Patented 001. 13, 1891.

UNITED STATES` PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK MEYER, OF ENGLEVCCD, .IOSEPH S. KIEHL, OF CHICAGO, AND

ALEXANDER GRANT, OF RIVERDALE, ASSIGNORS TO THE DUPLEX RO- TARY ENGINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.v

'SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,161, dated October 13, 1891.

Application filed April 6, 1889. Renewed .Tune 25, 1890. Again renewed March 16, 1891. Serial No. 385.167. (No model.)

To all whoml it may concern,.-

Be it known that we, FREDERICK MEYER, of Englewood, JOSEPH S. KIEHL, of Chicago, and ALEXANDER GRANT, of Riverdale, all in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Steam-Engines; and we do hereby declare `that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to rotary steam-en gines.

The primary feature of the invention is the combination,with a rotative shaft, of a disk fixed to said shaft and having parallel annular anges separated by an annular space, a stationary or non-rotative disk or plate covering the open side of the annular space in the rotative disk and having secured thereto a block which fills an arc of said annular space, a series of pistons which slide through slots in one of the annular flanges of the rotative disk, an eccentric or its equivalent, which insures the retraction of said pistonsso that they may pass the stationary block and thereafter advance across the annular space between said flanges, and ports for the admission and discharge of steam to and from the said annular space.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the engine, a part of the side plate nearest the'eye being broken away to revealv certain inner features from that point of view. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section in the line 2 2 of Figyl. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section in the indirect line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section in the indirect line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of what will be hereinafter' called the port-block of the engine. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the several similar radiallysliding pistons detached. Fig. 7 is a section of a modification.

First describing Figs. l to 6, inclusive, A represents a shaft, to which the revolving parts of the engine are secured and which is intended to be rotated by the direct action of steam.

I5 is a stationary or non-rotating plate.

C is a second disk or plate of dished form, the marginal flange c of which is bolted to the plate B, thereby forming a chamber C', within which the rotating parts secured to the shaft are placed.

D is a circular disk fixed to the shaft A in any suitable manner and provided with two annular cylindric flanges D and D2, standing out from the body of the disk D on the same side thereof and concentric with the shaft A, said flanges projecting toward the stationary plate B. Y

B is a cam fixed to the plate B and extending inward around the shaft toward the disk D.

B2 is a shouldered or sectionally-Tshaped ring'iixed to the plate B concentric With the shaft A and opposite the space d between the y flanges D and D2.

D3 and D4 are shouldered rings fastened to the edges of the flanges D and D2, respectively, and engaged with the shoulders of the ring B2 for the purpose of holding the plate B and disk D from separation by pressure of steam admitted between them, while at the same time allowing the flanged disk D to rotate.

' E is a curved or segmental block locatedin c the space d between the flanges D and D2,

and secured to the stationary ring BZ-by suitable bolts, as indicated in Fig. 4 or otherwise. Said block serves as a stationary abutment with respect to the steam employed for driving the engine; but as itis also provided with steampassages in the construction herein shown and preferred i-t will be hereinafter termed the port-block.

F is a valve-chest secured to the outside of the plate B opposite the port-block E, and G is a valve located in the steam-chest.

vH Hare pistons or plates fittedto slide radially in slots din the inner flange D2 and in grooves cl2 in the adjacent face of the disk D. These radially-sliding Apistons H are all of equal dimensions, and when in their outer po-l sitions stand across the annular space d between the iianges D and D2, so that steam admitted into said space between the lixed port-block E and a piston so standing across the space d will impel a rotary movement of the disk D, in which said piston is mounted.

The cam B is reduced on its side toward the port-block sufficiently to allow the pistons to be drawn inward far enough tov pass said port-block, as indicated; but beyond said reduced Apart the cam desirably extends into Contact or proximity with the inside circumference of the inner annular flange D2. For the purpose of retracting the pistons H or drawing them inward in passing the portblock said pistons are provided at their inner ends each with a projection h, which engages a groove b in the cam-block B, and preferably this projection is placed in the median line of the piston in order that the strain applied to it-by the cani in drawing it inward will be central and therefore not calculated Ato cause the piston to bind between'the lateral guiding-surfaces therefor.

The port-block E is provided with two separate passages e e one of which opens at each end ofthe block into the space CZ, both communicating through the iixed ring B2 with the steam-chest F at a distance from each other inv a circular line drawn concentric with the shaft. Between these ports and formed in the plate B is a third passage or port e2, intended as an exhaust. It is shown in Fig. 2 prolonged by the pipe e3, which may be extended to any desired point of linal discharge. A second exhaust-port is shown at e4, consisting of an opening from the annular space d through the ring B2 and plate B, said port e4 being diametricallyopposite the port e2. This port e4 is placed in the position stated with a view of providing a prompt discharge of the steam when the engine is adapted to be driven in either direction.

The valve Gis shown as a slide-valve having a cavity g, adapted to put either of the ports e e into communication with the exhaust-port e2, while atthe same sime exposing `the other of the two ports e e for the admission of steam from`the steam-chest F. The ports e e', covered by the valve, will of course give egress to any steam reaching it from the space d.

The number of pistons H is such that when a piston reaches the exhaust-port, or the lirst of the two exhaust-ports in cas'e both are present, a second piston will have been advanced to its outer position between it and the portblock, so that the space into which steam is admitted will not be at the same time in communication with the exhaust-port.

From the above description it is obvious that steam admitted to the space d at one end of the port-block will act upon said block as an abutment and upon the first fully-extended piston at that side of the block with the effect of moving the piston away from the block and thereby rotating the parts by which said piston is supported. As soon as a piston is thrown out beyond the port-block the steam beyond that piston ceases to be effective and 'may be exhausted at` once. It may, on the other hand, be retained untilthe space' containing itis brought into communication with the opposite passage of the port block by the retraction of the more advanced one of the pistons conliningit. 'We prefer to employ the exsliding pistons l-I may be employed, provided there be a sufficient number to prevent communication between the steam-inlet port and the exhaust. v

The port-block E may be packed in any suitable manner, a metallic packing being shown at e5, consisting of parts set in a continuous transverse groove around the middle of the port-block and overlapping each other to prevent steam-communication past said port-block. The sections of this packing are shown to be thrown outward into contact with the moving surfaces of the disk D and its ianges D D2 by springs. Any other construction of metal packing may be employedv and any other form of packing may be substituted in place of that shown without departure from our'invention. In- Fig. 3, packing devices are also shown applied to the radial slots or grooves d in the flange D2, so as to prevent the passage of steam from the space d into the central cavity of the engine. The kind of packing here emplo'yed is not material. In the groove d2, formed in the disk D for the further guidance of the pistons H, are placed packing-strips d3, behind which are springs d,

'operating to press the pistons into contact at their opposite edges with the surfaces against which'they bear at said opposite edges. For the purpose of slackening the pressure of contact between the overlapping shoulders or surfaces on the rings B2, D2, and D4, when desired, the shaft A protrudes through the cam B and upon its,protruding portion is provided with a screw-thread a, uponwhich is itted a nut or nuts a. By means of these nuts the shaft may be drawn slightly through the cam and the disk D thereby drawn proportionately toward the plate B, which of course relieves the pressure upon the overlapping surfaces of the rings B2, D3, and D4. In this construction the prolonged shaft will turn in the cam B', and it will be desirable to provide the conical metal bushing J around the shaft and within the cam,- as indicated in Fig. 2. Over the nut a is placed a cap K, which, if the shaft A is prolonged through it, will be provided with a stuffing-box k, as

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85 Manifestly any desired number of radiallyshown. or non-revoluble disk C, in which the shaft A revolves, is also provided with a stuffing-box' C2. rThis construction insures the confinement Within the shell or inclosure C', formed by the fianged disk C and the plate B, bolted thereto, of any steam that may escape through the joints between the movable and stationary parts, and the cavity of said shell may be placed in communication with the eX- haust-passage c4 by a passage b', cast or otherwise formed in *he plate B, and the Water of condensation, if any, which shall be formed in said chamber C', may be Withdrawn by means of a petcock c.

. It is obvious that the steam-ports may lead from the steam-chest directly into the space d Without passing through the port-block or abutment E, or, in other words, at points beyond the ends of said port-block; but we prefer to make the port-block of considerable length, as indicated, and to lorm the ports therein.

Athe plate B.

In Fig. 7 a modification is shown in which the mutually-engaging rings B2, D2, and D4 are omitted, and in which the edges of the flanges D and D2 run in direct contact with In this case the port-block or abutment E is also secured directly to the plate B. Another modification shown in this figure consists in employing the bolts which join the plate B with the dished disk C as a means for regulating the pressure of the fianges D and D2 against the plate Band for this purpose the disk C near the shaft bears directly against the hnb of the inner and revolving disk D.

Ve claim as our inventionl. The combination, with the shaft, of a nonrevoluble plate, a disk secured to the shaft parallel with the said plate and provided with a concentric flange having radial slots for pis tons, pistons in said slots, a cylindric flange parallel with the slotted iiange and separated therefrom by an annular space, a stationary,

part or abutment between the flanges,'suit able ports for the admission and discharge of steam to and from the annular space between the iianges, a suitable valve for the control of steam-supply, and a cam for retracting the pistons in their movement past the abutment, substantially as described. i

2. The combination of a non-revoluble plate B, a shaft A, a disk D, secured to the shaft and provided with parallel and concentric flanges D D2, pistons having radial movement in the flange D2, and a cam engaged with the pistons, and ports leading through the plate B from the space d, substantially as described.

The passage through the stationary i 3. The combination of a non-revoluble plate B, a shaft A, a disk D, secured to the shaft and provided with parallel and concentric flanges D D2, a sectionally-T-shaped ring B2, fixed to the plate VB opposite the space d between the flanges D and D2 and provided with steam and exhaust ports extended through the plate B, an abutment occupying a place in the space d and secured to the ring B2, rings D3 and Dfi, secured to the iianges D and D2 and engaged with the ring B2, pistons having radial movement in the flange D2,.and a cam engaged with the pistons, substantially as described.

4. In a rotary engine substantially as described, the combination, with the plate B, having the sectionally-T-shaped ring B2 secured thereto, and the revoluble disk D, having the flanges D andD2 engaged with the ring B2, of the shaft upon which the disk D is secured, prolonged through the plate B and provided with a screw-thread and nut Whereby the pressure of the engaging surfaces of, the rings may be relieved, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a shaft, a disk secured thereto having concentric flanges separated by an annular space d, a fixed or nonrevoluble plate parallel With the said disk, a block secured to the plate and projecting into said space d, provided with one or more steam, passages extended through the plate, a valvechest and valve supported on the plate over the' steam port or ports, pistons movable into and out of the space d, and a cam foractuating the pistons, substantially as described.

b'. The combinatiomwith the stationary and revolving disks, concentric ilanges separated.v by an intermediate annular space, radiallymovable pistons, and a stationary abutment inthe said annular space supported by the stationary plate, of a steam-chest having ports communicating with t-he annular space at opposite sides of the abutment, and a `valve Within the chest adapted to close either of these ports and open the other, whereby the direction of rotation of the engine may be reversed by movement of the valve, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our joint invention We affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses;

M. E. DAYTON, V C. CLARENCE PooLE.

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